Aviation Ministry, Airline Operators Meet to Resolve Helicopter Landing Levy Dispute

The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development held a crucial meeting with the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to discuss the outcome of a Ministerial Committee’s review on Helicopter landing levies.

The meeting aimed to address complaints from AON and ensure compliance with new levy collection processes. The reviewed policy emphasizes transparency and aims to eliminate third-party invoicing, with the Ministry urging direct invoicing to oil companies to bolster the national economy.

The Ministry, through its Head, Press and Public Affairs, Odutayo Oluseyi, explained that the committee was mandated to review the exercise and come up with recommendations.

This, Oluseyi said, followed complaints by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).

According to Oluseyi, the meeting took place at the Minister’s Conference Room with the Director Legal, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Rita Egbadon presiding.

Egbadon, stated that the meeting was at the instance of the Minister of Aviation to sensitize AON on the outcome of the committee report that had earlier been submitted.

Mrs Egbadon, said the report of the committee has been adopted by the Ministry.

Highlighting the report, Egbadon maintained that Helicopter landing Levies are part of global aviation practices which contribute to the national economy.

“The Levy to the Federal Government through NAMA is statutory for provision of Air Navigational Services for Helicopter landing by oil companies on oil fields, Terminals, Platform, Riggs, Floating Productive Storage and Offloading (FPSO) on Helipads, Airstrip, and Aerodromes”.

The Director also stated that the committee findings shows that the legal backup for the Levy is in line with NAMA Act of 2022, and the processes of the Levies are also obtainable in countries like; India, United Kingdom, United States and European Union and that the committee was appalled at the level of wastage the country has incurred in the past years.

“The committee discovered that before its assignment, oil companies were invoiced by third parties, such as Helicopter operators, this didn’t make for transparency and compliance”.

She said that the committee equally resolved in its report that the invoicing of the Oil Companies directly rather than third parties would go a long way to eliminate complaints by stakeholders including the AON.

She informed AON that companies including; Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCLimited), Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) and INTELS have ensured compliance earlier than now.

She concluded by saying that Naebi Dynamic Concepts Limited was and is charged by the Ministry to collect and enforce the Helicopter Landing fees and as such all-oil companies on oil fields, Terminals, Platform, Riggs, Floating Productive Storage and Offloading (FPSO) on Helipads, Airstrip, and Aerodromes should comply with the outcome of the report.

Responding, AON noted that it has no role in the collection of the Helicopter Levies and no Levy should be paid to them or their members promising that information that will help the process of compliance will be made available to all concerned.